A hurricane is expected to hit Florida

Tropical Storm Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday as forecasters expect the storm to quickly strengthen into a hurricane and head toward Florida in the next few days.

Milton is expected to become a “potentially very impactful hurricane” and hit the Florida peninsula on Tuesday or Wednesday, Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, said during an online briefing Saturday afternoon.

Milton is expected to have maximum sustained winds of 110 mph when it makes landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast – near St. Petersburg and Tampa – late Tuesday or early Wednesday. “This is true for a Category 2 to 3 hurricane,” Rhome said.

Although all hurricanes produce life-threatening winds, hurricanes of Category 3 and above are known as major hurricanes. Severe hurricanes can cause devastating to catastrophic wind damage and loss of life. Hurricanes of all categories can cause deadly storm surges, rain-induced flooding and tornadoes.

On Friday, forecasters were particularly concerned about torrential rain from the system.

As of Saturday afternoon, the storm was located about 220 miles north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico. Milton has maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour and is expected to move quickly east-northeast across the Gulf of Mexico.

Rapid strengthening is expected as the system moves across the central and eastern portions of the Gulf and forms into a hurricane on Monday or Tuesday. The west coast of the Florida Peninsula faces life-threatening storm surges and winds starting late Tuesday or Wednesday – less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the Southeast.

“No matter where the storm goes, it will cause a large area of heavy rain and possible flooding,” Rhome said.

No evacuations have been ordered, Rhome said, but they may be necessary. Florida Peninsula residents should have their hurricane plan in place, the center said, and follow subsequent forecasts and official communications.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Kirk is expected to produce swells in the Atlantic Ocean this weekend, impacting the East Coast of the United States.

Hurricane forecast for October:Prepare for the “return of major hurricanes.”

Path tracker for Tropical Storm Milton

Tropical Storm Milton Spaghetti Models

The figures cover a range of forecasting tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center only uses the four or five best-performing models in its forecasts.

Hurricane Kirk gains strength and hits the east coast of the USA

Kirk was located about 1,000 miles northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands and its waves are expected to spread westward to the U.S. East Coast, Atlantic Canada and the Bahamas on Saturday evening and Sunday, and to the Azores on Monday, the said Hurricane center on Saturday. The waves could create life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, according to the NHC.

Kirk is currently a Category 3 hurricane and has sustained winds of about 120 mph with stronger gusts, with hurricane-force winds extending up to 60 miles from its center. The storm, moving north-northwest at about 16 miles per hour, is expected to remain a hurricane for the next few days but will weaken as it turns northeast on Sunday, the NHC said.

Hurricane Kirk Path Tracker

Hurricane Kirk Spaghetti Models

The figures cover a range of forecasting tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center only uses the four or five best-performing models in its forecasts.

If Path Tracker and Spaghetti Models don't appear on your screen, you can view them here.

Hurricane Leslie is strengthening

Leslie, a Category 1 hurricane, is located in the tropical eastern Atlantic about 785 miles west-southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde islands, the center said Saturday. Leslie, which is not expected to make landfall, is expected to continue moving west-northwest at about 7 mph (11 km/h), but will move northwest Saturday night into Tuesday.

Leslie has maximum sustained winds near 80 mph with higher gusts and could strengthen through Saturday but is expected to gradually weaken beginning Sunday.

A hurricane is expected to hit Florida

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A hurricane is expected to hit Florida

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